Faucets for dispensing coffee, iced tea, water, and other pulp-free liquids typically use a resilient elastomeric seat cup to control the flow of liquid through the faucet. The seat cup is connected to a valve stem and handle, and a user manually operates the handle to cause the valve stem to pull the nose of the seat cup away from a valve seat to open the faucet for dispensing liquid from an associated urn or other source. When the handle is moved back to its home position, the nose of the seat cup again mates with the valve seat to block further flow of liquid through the faucet. The seat cup is typically spring-biased into engagement with the valve seat.
Use of such faucets with juice containing pulp or other liquids including suspended solids can lead to reduced performance. In particular, the pulp or other suspended solids tend to collect in the region of the valve seat and/or on the seat cup, itself, and reduce the integrity of the seal at the interface between the seat cup and valve seat. This can lead to leakage and a shut-off delay, i.e., an excessive lag between the time the user releases the faucet handle and the actual termination of flow of liquid from the faucet.
Accordingly, a need has been identified for a new and improved faucet particularly adapted to for dispensing pulp-containing juices and other liquids including suspended solids that overcomes these issues.